NFL exec believes the Tua Tagovailoa-Dolphins deal will be well over $50 million a year

From the moment it was announced that Jared Goff was signing his massive extension with the Detroit Lions, the focus has shifted to the Miami Dolphins. Will general manager Chris Grier be able to get things done with Tua Tagovailoa before Week 1 gets here?

Tagovailoa is reportedly unhappy with the way contract talks have gone, which has included him skipping the majority of offseason workouts. Let's hope that doesn't boil over to when mandatory minicamp gets here. Having said that, the hope and expectation is that things will get done soon. Recently, an anonymous NFL executive spoke with ESPN's Marcel Louis-Jacques and said he thinks things will indeed get finalized and he sees $55 million a year being the sweet spot.

Will the Miami Dolphins get things done with Tua Tagovailoa this offseason?

"I think Miami's come this far. They've groomed him, he's going to get better. You don't want to lose him. It was so hard to get a quarterback. ... It's just finding that balance. My guess is $55 million [per year], maybe it's more."

- NFL exec to ESPN

Tagovailoa is coming off a brilliant 2023 season with the Dolphins, leading the team in passing yards. However, things ended in rough fashion, with Miami failing to win the AFC East and suffering a loss to the Kansas City Chiefs in the Wild Card Round.

Yes, things didn't go as planned, but Chris Grier has made some big moves this offseason, highlighted by tough decisions he made in free agency and the NFL Draft. People are still buzzing about the recent Odell Beckham Jr. signing, as he's the solid WR3 this team has been looking for.

Beckham is going to be a big help for Tagovailoa and the offense as a whole. Once Week 1 gets here, the Dolphins will look to start things off with a bang and Tagovailoa will surely be ready to put on a show with the best wide receivers group in the NFL. Will he be doing so with a monster new contract to his name?

That remains to be seen, but while Adam Schefter reported the two sides aren't close, we have a feeling things will get done - and don't be surprised if the new deal is worth around $55 million per campaign.